town in Mississippi
Honey bee forage in Utica, Mississippi
Estimated forage here is better than about 64% of sites in Mississippi. Against other Mississippi sites it stands out most in spring (70th percentile) and lowest in fall (46th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.2 mi SE, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 2.2 mi SE, grown 2 of the last 5 years); cotton (nearest 3.2 mi S, grown 4 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Utica?
- First forage: Jan 1 (dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 1 to May 15, peaking early Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Fall flow: Jun 1 to Jun 15 (roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Season ends: Jul 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Utica, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Mar 3.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), garden flowers; extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), summer-flowering trees (locust, linden), dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 65 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi SE, blooms late Apr – late Jun (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 44 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.2 mi SE, blooms early May – early Jun (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
- Cotton: about 93 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi S, blooms early Jun – early Aug (grown 4 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Utica
Mostly: Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Eastern Warm Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Southeastern North American Temperate Forest Plantation.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.18 mi S; open water 0.21 mi SE.
How Utica ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 70th | 92nd | 24th | 8th |
| Mississippi | 64th | 70th | 54th | 46th |
| Mississippi Valley Loess Plains | 43rd | 74th | 36th | 36th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 84% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Utica: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Learned 8 mi · Edwards 16 mi · Raymond 16 mi · Hermanville 16 mi · Crystal Springs 18 mi · Bovina 18 mi
All towns in Mississippi · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Utica (32.1073, -90.6222); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.